Effective 1 July 2024, visa conditions 8107, 8607, and 8608 have been updated in line with the Australian Government’s Migration Strategy. These changes aim to address worker exploitation and enhance productivity.
The Department of Home Affairs have implemented improvements to support the labor market mobility of temporary migrants holding the following visas:
- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
- Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494)
Visa holders who cease employment with their sponsoring employer will have extended timeframes to secure a new sponsor, apply for a different visa, or arrange to leave Australia. These visa holders will now have up to:
- 180 days at a time, or
- A maximum of 365 days in total across the entire visa grant period.
During this period, visa holders are permitted to work for other employers, including in occupations not listed in their most recent sponsorship nomination. This flexibility ensures that visa holders can support themselves while seeking a new sponsor.
Before July 2024, sponsored workers under these visa programs had only 60 days after their employment ended to change employers, apply for a different visa, or leave Australia. This recent change has been a significant and positive development.